15 April 2010

Current proposed plan for the site - a large footprint with underground parking to accommodate overlapping wards.

*NOTE: This post has been edited from its original content.

The Brookline Chapel in Massachusetts has had years of controversy surrounding it. Tonight, it will yet again go before the town's planning board looking for approval to build. The controversy is that the building is too large for the site. Neighbors opposed the scale of the building, especially in context of the neighborhood and small size of the site, the large overbearing roof, and the amount of underground parking.

Aerial image showing just how small the site is.

I wonder why we engage in such battles with neighborhood groups? Especially when the neighbors desire for a smaller building perfectly meet the needs of the area. Being a good neighbor is as important as any missionary work we engage in. If I lived in this neighborhood, I would join them in protesting for a nicer, more appropriate building as well.

I served my mission near there. There is a certain amount of dislike toward Mormons in the area, But in this case I think the neighbors are correct in asserting that the area has an historic character that deserves to be respected. I would guess that the problem was with the 2-story concept and the problems that come with multiple levels (I'm thinking elevators and small children).

I think some issues are not being considered here in terms of the church's love of consistency. If they build a standard size chapel, they already know where to get all the standard size parts and the standard timeline won't be altered too much.

However, given this situation, the Church may want to look down the road to Belmont. Just outside the city and a literal stone's throw from the temple is a beautiful chapel which really didn't encounter too many issues until the land uphill was purchased for the temple. The Belmont chapel is an architectural delight, for me. On the inside, the natural light comes in and really infuses the space with a real spirituality. It has its odd nooks and crannies (I think I remember a classroom that looked like it was just a bump out of a hallway) but overall a great building that speaks in a more universal, and locally palatable, spiritual language.

I'm not sure why the recommendation wasn't used, but it probably was because of the desire to have three wards in the building rather than two. The local project manager was in charge of the decision, and headquarters was just providing support. But that is part of the problem - when there is no accountability for decisions like these, it makes all of us look bad.

I live in Brookline and attend the ward that will be meeting in this chapel--if/when it is built. I was wondering where you obtained the plans for the alternative chapel? I agree that this design is indeed better than the current chapel that is planned--it has been referred to as a red barn with a steeple.

The abutting neighbors have always had issues with the height of the chapel (concerned with blocking their view of the reservoir), so I wonder if this two story chapel was scrapped because of this.

Having attended all of the town meetings, I can say that church has implemented a number of changes to the chapel design/layout to try to meet the neighbors concerns. However, when the church addresses a given concern, the neighbors raise a new issue. Anyone from Brookline will tell you that the NIMBY mindset of those that live here is difficult to overcome.

I live in Brookline too, and the issue has never been NIMBY. Rather, many people have been upset because the lawyer for the Church misrepresented what could be built "by right". And then it was discovered that a mistake had been made, and the proposed building was much larger than allowed by the zoning regulations. Instead of saying, "Sorry, we made a mistake. We will come back with a new design that corrects our error," the Church is pushing ahead with plans for the over-sized meetinghouse claiming that it has to have a building that large. This does not make for warm fuzzy feelings, or make the residents believe that the Church cares at all about the community.

Why is "underground parking" an issue? It is underground and won't be seen, saves space, leaves the lot for the building and landscaping. Also, this area is wooded and no one has a view of anything that would be obstructed. The building is set back off the road, surrounded by trees, and looks quite lovely. The church says the chapel will be 15,000 sq.ft. and they homeowners insist it will be 22,000. It sounds like the homeowners are whining about things that aren't even true or accurate. They say that if they make exceptions for this building, they will have to make exceptions to others - but that isn't true! That would only be true for schools or places of worship. Down the street is a large school (Maimonides School(Maimonides School), built right up to the edge of the street with parking spaces around the building, using up the entire lot. Also down the road is a large, imposing church (St. Lawrence Church) built right up against the street with an above ground parking lot- nice size lot, but still a large chapel very close by. The arguments against the new chapel are moot because the new chapel plans fall are allowed by law. I really question the true motives of the neighbors because they seem disingenuous. I don't belong to any religion, found this article on a fluke, but thought the arguments against the chapel were bizarre after reading an entire article about it. The venom of small towns is really scary, un-American, and creepy. Perhaps the church should sell the property to a half-way house or drug and alcohol rehab center. I would vote for that!!!

I don't belong to any religion, but found this controversy interesting. Small venomous towns are creepy. From what I read, the chapel is 15,000 sq.ft., the underground parking is a huge bonus, leaving room for beautiful landscaping. The area is wooded, and the chapel would block no one's view of anything. The chapel is set back from the road, it is a pleasant design - nothing shocking. There is a large school with above-ground parking that takes up its entire lot just down the street. Also down the street, is St. Lawrence Church, built right up against the main road, above-ground parking (large lot), yet still an imposing structure. Reading the arguments against and the actual laws and variances, the LDS church is within its rights to build the desired structure on that lot. People who think it is not within the law are beating a dead horse. I hope that if the church decides not to build there (but I think they will and it will turn out alright for everyone) that they sell the property to an organization that will build a drug and alcohol center there. Truly, I believe the neighbors are harboring some anti-mormon bigotry and trying to conceal it with lame and irrelevant arguments. I don't believe they would complain if it was a church being built of their own religion. Imagine walking to church... they would love that.

I don't belong to any religion, but found this controversy interesting. Small venomous towns are creepy. From what I read, the chapel is 15,000 sq.ft., the underground parking is a huge bonus, leaving room for beautiful landscaping. The area is wooded, and the chapel would block no one's view of anything. The chapel is set back from the road, it is a pleasant design - nothing shocking. There is a large school with above-ground parking that takes up its entire lot just down the street. Also down the street, is St. Lawrence Church, built right up against the main road, above-ground parking (large lot), yet still an imposing structure. Reading the arguments against and the actual laws and variances, the LDS church is within its rights to build the desired structure on that lot. People who think it is not within the law are beating a dead horse. I hope that if the church decides not to build there (but I think they will and it will turn out alright for everyone) that they sell the property to an organization that will build a drug and alcohol center there. Truly, I believe the neighbors are harboring some anti-mormon bigotry and trying to conceal it with lame and irrelevant arguments. I don't believe they would complain if it was a church being built of their own religion. Imagine walking to church... they would love that.

I don't belong to any religion, but found this controversy interesting. Small venomous towns are creepy. From what I read, the chapel is 15,000 sq.ft., the underground parking is a huge bonus, leaving room for beautiful landscaping. The area is wooded, and the chapel would block no one's view of anything. The chapel is set back from the road, it is a pleasant design - nothing shocking. There is a large school with above-ground parking that takes up its entire lot just down the street. Also down the street, is St. Lawrence Church, built right up against the main road, above-ground parking (large lot), yet still an imposing structure. Reading the arguments against and the actual laws and variances, the LDS church is within its rights to build the desired structure on that lot. People who think it is not within the law are beating a dead horse. I hope that if the church decides not to build there (but I think they will and it will turn out alright for everyone) that they sell the property to an organization that will build a drug and alcohol center there. Truly, I believe the neighbors are harboring some anti-mormon bigotry and trying to conceal it with lame and irrelevant arguments. I don't believe they would complain if it was a church being built of their own religion. Imagine walking to church... they would love that.

I don't belong to any religion, but found this controversy interesting. Small venomous towns are creepy. From what I read, the chapel is 15,000 sq.ft., the underground parking is a huge bonus, leaving room for beautiful landscaping. The area is wooded, and the chapel would block no one's view of anything. The chapel is set back from the road, it is a pleasant design - nothing shocking. There is a large school with above-ground parking that takes up its entire lot just down the street. Also down the street, is St. Lawrence Church, built right up against the main road, above-ground parking (large lot), yet still an imposing structure. Reading the arguments against and the actual laws and variances, the LDS church is within its rights to build the desired structure on that lot. People who think it is not within the law are beating a dead horse. I hope that if the church decides not to build there (but I think they will and it will turn out alright for everyone) that they sell the property to an organization that will build a drug and alcohol center there. Truly, I believe the neighbors are harboring some anti-mormon bigotry and trying to conceal it with lame and irrelevant arguments. I don't believe they would complain if it was a church being built of their own religion. Imagine walking to church... they would love that.

I don't belong to any religion, but found this controversy interesting. Small venomous towns are creepy. From what I read, the chapel is 15,000 sq.ft., the underground parking is a huge bonus, leaving room for beautiful landscaping. The area is wooded, and the chapel would block no one's view of anything. The chapel is set back from the road, it is a pleasant design - nothing shocking. There is a large school with above-ground parking that takes up its entire lot just down the street. Also down the street, is St. Lawrence Church, built right up against the main road, above-ground parking (large lot), yet still an imposing structure. Reading the arguments against and the actual laws and variances, the LDS church is within its rights to build the desired structure on that lot. People who think it is not within the law are beating a dead horse. I hope that if the church decides not to build there (but I think they will and it will turn out alright for everyone) that they sell the property to an organization that will build a drug and alcohol center there. Truly, I believe the neighbors are harboring some anti-mormon bigotry and trying to conceal it with lame and irrelevant arguments. I don't believe they would complain if it was a church being built of their own religion. Imagine walking to church... they would love that.

I don't belong to any religion, but found this controversy interesting. Small venomous towns are creepy. From what I read, the chapel is 15,000 sq.ft., the underground parking is a huge bonus, leaving room for beautiful landscaping. The area is wooded, and the chapel would block no one's view of anything. The chapel is set back from the road, it is a pleasant design - nothing shocking. There is a large school with above-ground parking that takes up its entire lot just down the street. Also down the street, is St. Lawrence Church, built right up against the main road, above-ground parking (large lot), yet still an imposing structure. Reading the arguments against and the actual laws and variances, the LDS church is within its rights to build the desired structure on that lot. People who think it is not within the law are beating a dead horse. I hope that if the church decides not to build there (but I think they will and it will turn out alright for everyone) that they sell the property to an organization that will build a drug and alcohol center there. Truly, I believe the neighbors are harboring some anti-mormon bigotry and trying to conceal it with lame and irrelevant arguments. I don't believe they would complain if it was a church being built of their own religion. Imagine walking to church... they would love that.

I don't belong to any religion, but found this controversy interesting. Small venomous towns are creepy. From what I read, the chapel is 15,000 sq.ft., the underground parking is a huge bonus, leaving room for beautiful landscaping. The area is wooded, and the chapel would block no one's view of anything. The chapel is set back from the road, it is a pleasant design - nothing shocking. There is a large school with above-ground parking that takes up its entire lot just down the street. Also down the street, is St. Lawrence Church, built right up against the main road, above-ground parking (large lot), yet still an imposing structure. Reading the arguments against and the actual laws and variances, the LDS church is within its rights to build the desired structure on that lot. People who think it is not within the law are beating a dead horse. I hope that if the church decides not to build there (but I think they will and it will turn out alright for everyone) that they sell the property to an organization that will build a drug and alcohol center there. Truly, I believe the neighbors are harboring some anti-mormon bigotry and trying to conceal it with lame and irrelevant arguments. I don't believe they would complain if it was a church being built of their own religion. Imagine walking to church... they would love that.

I don't belong to any religion, but found this controversy interesting. Small venomous towns are creepy. From what I read, the chapel is 15,000 sq.ft., the underground parking is a huge bonus, leaving room for beautiful landscaping. The area is wooded, and the chapel would block no one's view of anything. The chapel is set back from the road, it is a pleasant design - nothing shocking. There is a large school with above-ground parking that takes up its entire lot just down the street. Also down the street, is St. Lawrence Church, built right up against the main road, above-ground parking (large lot), yet still an imposing structure. Reading the arguments against and the actual laws and variances, the LDS church is within its rights to build the desired structure on that lot. People who think it is not within the law are beating a dead horse. I hope that if the church decides not to build there (but I think they will and it will turn out alright for everyone) that they sell the property to an organization that will build a drug and alcohol center there. Truly, I believe the neighbors are harboring some anti-mormon bigotry and trying to conceal it with lame and irrelevant arguments. I don't believe they would complain if it was a church being built of their own religion. Imagine walking to church... they would love that.